---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And while generally loyal to the United…"
description: "\"“And while generally loyal to the United States, ibn Saud displayed no reservations about negotiating with Britain and France in order to extract highe..."
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---

#  And while generally loyal to the United States, ibn Saud…

![“And while generally loyal to the United States, ibn Saud displayed no reservations about negotiating with Britain and France in order to extract higher contract fees from the Americans. Indeed, when asked by American negotiators why he favored the United States over the Europeans, ibn Saud…” quote by Michael B. Oren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/michael-b-oren-42234_europeans-ibn_and-while-generally-loyal-to-the-united_2791081.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/michael-b-oren-42234_europeans-ibn_and-while-generally-loyal-to-the-united_2791081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/michael-b-oren-42234_europeans-ibn_and-while-generally-loyal-to-the-united_2791081.jpg)

> ““And while generally loyal to the United States, ibn Saud displayed no reservations about negotiating with Britain and France in order to extract higher contract fees from the Americans. Indeed, when asked by American negotiators why he favored the United States over the Europeans, ibn Saud candidly replied, “You are very far away!””

[Michael B. Oren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-oren/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Saud prioritized financial gain over loyalty, showing pragmatic diplomacy.

**In simple terms:** He chose profit over principle.

Key Takeaway

Weigh profit against principle.

Themes

politics diplomacy selfinterest pragmatism

Mood

critical analytical

Type

political historical

When to use this quote

- business negotiations
- foreign policy
- resource allocation

Key Concepts

international relations economics

Questions to Reflect On

- What are the risks of prioritizing short‑term gains?
- How does transparency affect diplomatic trust?

A Different Perspective

Profit motives can erode trust and long‑term alliances.

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[American Negotiators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-negotiators-3380120/) [Europeans Ibn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europeans-ibn-3380119/) [Negotiators Favored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiators-favored-3380121/) [Saud Candidly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saud-candidly-3380123/) [States Ibn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states-ibn-3380122/)

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